Scotch Willie

The Winter Spy, the next book in the "Yankee Doodle Spies series," introduces some new characters, both real and fictional. This post highlights one of those historical figures, an acerbic, two-fisted Scots-Irishman who seemed to tick off everyone but was often called upon when there was fighting to be done and battles to win.

Our subject is William Maxwell, who hailed from County Tyrone, Ireland. Born in 1733, young Maxwell emigrated to the colonies with his parents in 1747, settling in what was then Sussex County, New Jersey. Little is known of his early life until he followed the drum and enlisted in the provincial forces when the French and Indian War erupted in 1754. 

Maxwell played a key role in the 

 Winter Spy

The 21-year-old Maxwell was with Braddock's forces during the disastrous defeat at the Monongahela River in western Pennsylvania. But the brave Maxwell survived the massacre and continued service to King and Country, first as an ensign in Col. John Johnson's New Jersey Regiment and later as a lieutenant in the Jersey Blues.  

Maxwell was under arms during the 1758 campaign and the British defeat by General Montcalm at the Battle of Carillon (Fort Ticonderoga). But two disasters did not lead to three. Third time's a charm - he participated in the decisive British victory on the Plains of Abraham and the fall of Quebec in 1759. 

French Victory at Fort Carillon

The drum and musket seemed to become our fiery Irishman. The end of the war saw him remain in the service of the crown. He was posted to the western frontier (Britain now had a larger empire to guard). Over time, he rose to the position of commissary officer at Fort Michilimackinac. This highlights Maxwell's administrative talent, as he was responsible for purchasing and delivering the army's supplies.

When tensions between the colonies and the crown increased, Maxwell firmly supported the rebellion. He resigned his commission and moved east. Wanting to join the cause, he returned to his now adopted colony of New Jersey and actively participated in its political scene. Maxwell was appointed to the provincial Congress and eventually became Chairman of the Committee of Safety. This position utilized his military experience, as Committees of Safety were responsible for arming and preparing the colonies for potential war.

Shot Heard 'round the World:
Lexington turned insurgency into rebellion

 The shot heard 'round the world in April 1775 resonated loudly in the Jerseys, and the call to arms was answered. Maxwell abandoned his political role for a military one, this time to defend his adopted country. In November of that year, he was appointed colonel of the 2nd New Jersey Continental Line infantry. His field service would come quickly and intensely.  

Continental Line Infantry

A late 1775 campaign to win Canada for the American cause was faltering. So, in the spring of 1776, he joined General John Sullivan’s expedition to bolster American forces in Canada. He fought under General William Thompson in the battle at Trois Rivieres on June 6, 1776. Although he endured another defeat, he was now a highly experienced field commander, and there was more fighting to prevent the shattered army from falling apart during its retreat back to New York. 

General John Sullivan

Like many military men of the war, Maxwell was quick to feel slighted, especially regarding his achievements. When Colonel Arthur St. Clair was promoted to brigadier general ahead of him, he bitterly wrote to Congress. He was also outspoken against the commander of the Northern Department, General Philip Schuyler, and his plan to abandon the French fort at Crown Point, New York, to the advancing forces of General Guy Carleton. Crown Point is just north of Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain. Perhaps he felt some resentment at witnessing another defeat on the lake.

Fort Ticonderoga

But Maxwell received good news when, on 23 October 1776, he was also appointed brigadier general. The promotion brought him back to the Jerseys, this time serving under General George Washington at the very end of the New Jersey campaign. His knowledge of the Jerseys kept him in active service, screening against British inroads after the successful one-two punch Washington dealt at Trenton and Princeton. 

The American attack on Trenton

The Continental Army settled into winter quarters at Morristown, New Jersey. During the winter of 1777, he led a mix of continental and militia units in a series of forage fights. He demonstrated the ability to orchestrate quick strikes, utilize intelligence and terrain, and secure victories. The British suffered heavy casualties during a period when they were supposed to rest and recover. 

Maxwell struck at British forays for food throughout the Winter

Maxwell was proving to be a brave combat officer, but there were some murmurs about his personality and habits. His taciturn demeanor and thick Ulster accent earned him the nickname, “ScotchWillie.” 

Brigadier General William Maxwell

In the spring, Maxwell received a high command and took control of the Light Infantry Brigade. This elite unit included carefully selected men from every regiment in the army. The brigade was intended to fill the gap created when Colonel Daniel Morgan's riflemen were sent to northern New York.

Maxwell's Light Infantry Brigade was an elite corps

Not for the last time, Maxwell was thrust into the spotlight. Charged with guarding the British advance, he skillfully led his men at Cooch's Bridge, Delaware, on September 3, 1777. This was the first skirmish in General William Howe's crucial campaign to capture the rebel capital, Philadelphia. Maxwell's troops fought bravely until outflanked by Hessian enemies and forced to retreat by stronger forces. This battle was reportedly fought under the new “Stars and Stripes” flag recently adopted by Congress. 

 Cooch's Bridge

Maxwell performed well at Brandywine and Germantown that fall, although he was accused of excessive drinking. A court of inquiry proved inconclusive, so he returned to Valley Forge that winter, leading a newly recruited New Jersey brigade. The following summer, Maxwell’s troops were heavily engaged at Monmouth in August 1778, and he later testified against General Charles Lee at his court-martial for abandoning his post.

At Monmouth, Washington rallied the Army when
General Charles Lee mishandled the advance guard

In the summer of 1779, Maxwell again joined General Sullivan, this time for his controversial punitive expedition into the heart of Iroquois territory in central New York. Sullivan specifically requested his services. His brigade played a key role at the Battle of Newtown. Maxwell did not disappoint, and in August, when Sullivan fell ill, he temporarily took command of the entire army. 

Battle of Newtown, Sullivan's Iriquois Campaign

That fall, Maxwell returned to the Jerseys with his brigade. In June 1780, he proved crucial in organizing troops and militia. With his forces now deployed to defend the Continental Army base at Morristown, they played a key role in resisting the advance of British and Hessian units at Connecticut Farms and later Springfield. 

At Connecticut Farms, on June 7, his men successfully delayed the advance of General von Knyphausen's six thousand British and Hessian troops. Maxwell was able to harass and slow the enemy's advance while inflicting roughly an equal number of casualties. Frustrated, von Knyphausen ultimately withdrew. 

Maxwell delayed the British-Hessian
forces at Connecticut Farms

A few weeks later, von Knyphausen launched another attack, his column clashing with Maxwell’s brigade and once again covering the army’s advance. Maxwell continued to fight a delaying action, giving the American commander, General Nathanael Greene, time to set up his defenses around Springfield. When Maxwell took command of one of the reserve wings, Greene managed to repel von Knyphausen, who then retreated back to Staten Island. These were among the last actions in the north, as the British shifted their focus to a southern strategy.

Around this time, Maxwell was troubled by various issues. He was worried about the shrinking size of his brigade due to failed enlistments and a wave of mutinies in the Army. Tensions with subordinate officers also weighed heavily on him. Additionally, he had become dissatisfied with the lack of recognition. He urged General Washington to send his resignation to Congress, possibly incorrectly believing he could secure a promotion. However, the plan backfired when it was accepted, and command of the New Jersey troops passed to Colonel Elias Dayton, who had supporters both in and out of the army.

Elias Dayton succeeded Maxwell
as Brigadier General

In a petition to Washington, Maxwell tried but failed to secure reinstatement. Politics had caught up with Scotch Willie. Dayton now held his former general officer position, and Congress was not willing to demote him. With his military career over, Maxwell turned back to politics. In 1783, he served a term in the New Jersey state legislature but otherwise failed to make a mark and returned to his farm at the end of the term. The hard-drinking Maxwell died at Lansdowne, New Jersey, on November 4, 1796.

ScotchWillie's Grave

  

Scotch Willie falls into an interesting group of Revolutionary War commanders: not brilliant, flawed, but competent, brave, and resolute. Sullivan himself and Lord Stirling fall into the same category. Yes, they are overshadowed by the likes of Nathanael Greene, Henry Knox, Anthony Wayne, and the Marquis de Lafayette. But they served in key posts, in key campaigns, and brought enough leadership and success to keep the cause alive during some of its toughest moments. 

Somerset Court House

The area around Somerset Court House in central New Jersey saw an extraordinary amount of Revolutionary War military activity. Reason: it was on the main approach between north Jersey and Princeton, and between Princeton and New Brunswick, a British stronghold in Jersey. Not unexpectedly, the militia around Somerset Court House, now Millstone, New Jersey, saw action on several occasions. Somerset lay in that "middle area" between the British and American outposts, which had some quite vicious but little-celebrated fighting. Besides being in a strategic crossroads, the area around Somerset Court House was full of thriving farms with an abundance of crops and animals. During the winter in particular the ground was often frequented by British foraging parties from nearby New Brunswick.

Background

After General Washington took Trenton for the second time and fought past the British under General Cornwallis at  Princeton on January 3, 1777, he faced being caught between Cornwallis and the main the British Army around New Brunswick. But Washington's troops were exhausted after weeks of marching and fighting in extreme weather with inadequate food and clothing. So His Excellency decided to send his beleaguered regiments up the Millstone River valley toward Morristown, which could provide suitable and secure winter quarters. Morristown was protected by the Watchung Mountains, which could be strongly fortified at the passes to stop a British attack.

New Jersey was a battleground

 After the rebels fought at Princeton, Washington moved north to Somerset Court House. The advanced guard, part of the Delaware Line, came upon the village of Stone Brook (seat of Somerset Court House)  15 miles up the valley from Princeton, arriving around at twilight. However, the British had already evacuated supplies desperately needed by the Patriots. And the Americans were simply to exhausted to pursue. But within a few weeks, the winter war for forage between both sides would be in full swing and the area around Somerset was one of the prime battlegrounds of that campaign.

The Forage War Begins

At the urging of General William Maxwell, New Jersey Militia General Philemon Dickinson, and others, Washington ordered his Continental regiments and the local  New Jersey militia to engage  British outposts, patrols, couriers, and most especially forage parties Washington wanted to contain, harass and tire the British and Loyalists so they couldn't (or wouldn't) leave the main bases at New Brunswick and Amboy without sending considerable forces of say 1500 to 2000 men. The militia responded to this call with enthusiasm. Thus began a series of actions in the middle of what was normally the quiet time in 18th-century warfare. But warfare in North America, especially the war for independence took a different turn.

Militia General Philemon Dickinson

Battle of Millstone or Van Nest's Mill

On January 20th, 1777, British Lieutenant Colonel Abercromby, with 500 men and several cannon, went on a foraging party towards Hillsborough. American militia patrols spotted them and sent word back to  General Dickinson that "the enemy were out plundering." Dickinson had around 400 men in hand plus a company of 40 or so Pennsylvania Continental Riflemen under the command of Captain Durkee from the Wyoming Valley. The British were posted at a bridge over the Millstone River, near Abraham Van Nest's mill, about two miles from Somerset Court House. The Millstone ran into the nearby Raritan River. Abercromby had placed three field pieces on a hill, about 50 yards from the bridge to prevent any rebel forces from crossing there. The rivers were covered with a crust of ice and the water beneath, about waist high by most accounts, and of course ice cold.

Millstone River Today

The Action

Seeing the bridge crossing protected,  Dickinson ordered his men downriver (towards the Raritan), where they broke through the ice and waded into the cold waters that reached well above their knees. Dickinson divided his forces, sending one force to meet the front of the British wagon train, while a second moved to flank them. One wing of the American attack successfully surprised the British wagon train in the lane near Van Nest's Mill, cutting it off before it reached the main road and the bridge toward New Brunswick. Well-placed fire struck horses from the first wagon, halting the train,  Panicked, the wagon drivers scattered. This caused the British to beat a hasty retreat to the bridge, leaving their booty behind. But when the pursuing militiamen reached the bridge, the Hessian rearguard fired grapeshot from its artillery to cover the retreat. After an exchange of fire across the river, the British withdrew. As was the case with most such actions, the actual combat was brief. The British taking the brunt of causalities and lost around a dozen prisoners and twice that in killed and wounded. The British admitted that the rebel surprise attack "occasion'd such disorder Amongst the Waggon Drivers that 42 Waggons were left behind." They also lost 104 horses, 115 head of cattle, and about 60 or 70 sheep. Valuable livestock denied the enemy in winter quarters and most needed by the always deprived rebels.

Militias defeat Regulars: How Could this Happen?

This was no major battle or great victory. Yet it proved significant. Stalwart and determined, these once disparaged New Jersey militiamen had gained confidence and were less in awe of redcoats and Hessians due to American successes Princeton and Trenton. Even before Trenton, exaggerated reports of enemy depredations across the Jerseys began to stir the fires of revenge and retribution in many (but not all).  This was not the only instance when anger fired up the militia into ferocity against enemy regulars and Loyalists. In fact, it would become a growing theme throughout the remainder of the war. So in many ways, the action at this place called Somerset Court House was a harbinger of greater things to come.